About me

Hello, I'm Lisa, welcome to my profile. I hope you will find the information you are looking for, answers to any questions you may have and get an understanding of me and my work.

I have been working as a therapist continually and full time since 2007, and have gained significant counselling experience with adults, and in more recent years with young people. I have worked extensively with anxiety, stress, depression and relational issues as well as many complex issues.

Counselling sessions are £30 - £40. Block bookings receive a discount, as do student counsellors. You are welcome to contact me by email or by phone, in confidence, with any questions you may have and I'll be happy to answer them.

I offer everyone a 30-40 minute free initial consultation - for therapy or supervision. I find this time invaluable as it gives you an opportunity to meet with me in person, ask any questions you may have, and allow me an insight into your experiences, feelings and needs. Together we can explore your clinical or therapeutic options, and you are under no obligation to book a session with me following this meeting. I'd be happy to offer you other suggestions if we felt this was more appropriate, or of course take some time to think and reflect.

I understand how difficult it can sometimes feel to be considering exploring your feelings and experiences. Please be assured I will walk your path with you with great care, compassion, understanding, and importantly, at your pace.

At times, in our lives, we can encounter a here and now experience we find difficult or traumatic, or we find ourselves impacted or affected by historical factors. Sometimes things just seem to build up and we realise we've been struggling for longer than we thought.

Therapy can help support you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and help you locate the part of you that wants to find the way forward. The fact you are reading my profile shows you are looking to utilise that part of you that is there, although perhaps you are feeling disconnected from it right now.

I’d like to enable you to discover choices you may have, or options that may be available to you. I'd like to empower you to find a way to cope or move forward, perhaps help you understand what you are experiencing, or why, or make sense of your struggle. I could perhaps teach you some new skills you can then use for the rest of your life which could benefit you greatly.

You can be assured I will offer you a supportive environment to explore your feelings, my aim is you will experience feeling truly heard. I will listen to your experiences and I will help you find a way through. Together, we will look at the most effective or helpful way for you to manage or move forward.

I consider myself to be non-judgemental, warm in nature, understanding and compassionate. It is my aim and sincere hope, this will be your experience too. I will value each part of you, however hurt, defensive, worried, or scared a part of you may be.

I can offer you appointments in Hull city centre.I am located minutes from the Hull Paragon Interchange, which is easily accessible by car, train or bus. There are ample parking facilities and my practice is based in an anonymous and confidential setting.

My training and background have focused on Humanistic Models of Gestalt, Person Centred and Transactional Analysis. I work as an integrative therapist and can also incorporate Solution Focused, Cognitive Behavioural Techniques (CBT),Neuro Linguistic Programming(NLP) and mindfulness into our work. Together we will look at which approach will benefit you most, in line with your aim and struggles.

Some difficulties can be worked through in short term work, sometimes therapy can take place over several months, or at times, years. This is something I would be happy to discuss with you during our initial session, when together we can explore your experiences, situation and feelings, and start to consider a way forward for you.

My personal and professional experience is that relationship and trust between a client and their therapist is essential, and most important in terms of our growth and our progress. I will work supportively to help you feel emotionally safe, and my counselling suite is comfortable and welcoming. I can offer you a compassionate and confidential space to be who you are, and I can help enable you to achieve your desired outcome, goal or a new way of being in the world.

I would encourage you to contact me, in complete confidence, if you feel the time may be right for you to start exploring your own therapeutic path. I'll be happy to speak to you, or meet with you, free of charge, to help you decide if you feel you may like to work with me. I'll also answer any questions you may have about the counselling process or issues that you may feel are around it.

Training, qualifications & experience

I began my self employed counselling career in 2007, and I've worked as an NHS subcontractor since 2011. My work includes;

A Counsellor providing Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) for company employers and Churches

A Counsellor working in medical and legal insurance

A Counsellor within a Qualified Provider counselling service for the NHS under the Improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) banner.

A sub-contractor for a company contracted to DASH (depression and anxiety services Hull) within the NHS "Let's talk"

A Counsellor in private practice

A Counselling Associate within a Children and young people's service in Hull

A Counselling subcontractor for ITV

My primary counselling qualifications include;

Levels 1, 2 & 3 Counselling Practice

NCFE Diploma Counselling Practice

Foundation Degree Counselling Practice

BA (Hons) Counselling Practice (Leeds Met)

Certificate in Clinical Supervision (The Northern Guild)

I am a Registered Member MBACP Certificate number 070237I

I am an Accredited member of the National Counselling society. Membership Number: NCS1401672

Further qualifications include;

Counselling children and adolescents Diploma

Criminology Diploma

Professional growth is important to me and I am committed to continued development and new learning. I have recently completed a Diploma in Mindfulness (awaiting certification) and am currently studying a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

I deliver as a guest trainer, and facilitate workshops. I am happy to discuss any training needs you may wish to provide for students, employees or volunteers.

I have experience working with language translators, and with deaf clients and their sign interpreters.

You can find my professional page on Facebook, search "Lisa Harris Counsellor" or by clicking the icon at the top of this page. I frequently share useful information, articles and links, and training or workshop opportunities. Occasionally I am able to offer a free or discounted place to someone to whom counselling would otherwise be un-accessible. I post this on Facebook if this place becomes available.

Further information

When I was training to be a therapist, I attended 40 hours of mandatory therapy myself. This deepened my understanding of the counselling process and the importance of the relationship between a therapist and a client.

Therapy enabled me to work through my own life experiences, my pain of losses and trauma, the prolonged deep depression I experienced and revisted, personal struggles to survive and at times to just keep going in a life I didn’t think I could anymore.

I came to realise that how I was feeling, at times, was not all together as a result of something current. The root of it, or the core of the issue, was in my past. When I returned to them, understanding my coping strategies and defence mechanisms I had created and used, I was able to finally work towards freeing myself from things I had carried for years. My sincere hope would be I could offer this to you too.

My aim is to always be along side you as an equal, not “the expert” who will offer a metaphorical prescription to “make you better” from an emotional distance. I won’t tell you what to do. I will listen to you carefully to ensure I understand your feelings and experiences.

I continue working hard to be the professional I am today. I not only care deeply about my work, I care about each individual I work with, and I will care about you.

I am a member of the Accredited Voluntary register British Association For Counselling & Psychotherapy, Registered (MBACP). This means I abide by an Ethical Framework, attend regular clinical supervision as well as take responsibility for continued professional development. This membership also means I am subject to its complaints procedure too.

I am a member of the Association of Christian Counsellors. I am a Christian, and I work consistently with clients who have no faith, have Christian faith, or who have another faith or spiritual belief which is important to them. I am happy to discuss this with you should you have any questions.

I engage in regular clinical supervision as is required of my by the BACP. This supports me as a therapist and it safeguards you as a client. As is also expected of me, I will return to therapy should this be necessary. I also have full insurance and enhanced DSB (CRB) clearance.

My professional development has recently has included; Working with young people, working with anger, Adolescent development needs, Prayer, Philosophical approaches to mental health, Diversity, 5 Day TCIF (Therapeutic Crisis Intervention For Families), Attachment, 5 day DVAP training (domestic violence), ASSIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), Safeguarding (Young people and vulnerable adults), Gender identity training, Creative working, Gestalt therapy in short term work, The healing of memories, Shame in a primary counselling setting, Effects of medication in counselling. Please enquire for further information.